Advertiser Disclosure: The credit card offers that appear on this site are from credit card companies from which MoneyCrashers.com receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site, including, for example, the order in which they appear on category pages. MoneyCrashers.com does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers, although best efforts are made to include a comprehensive list of offers regardless of compensation. Advertiser partners include American Express, U.S. Bank, and Barclaycard, among others.

Join 102,863 Subscribers

GET THE FREE MONEY CRASHERS EMAIL NEWSLETTER!

Top 15 Jobs That Require Little or No Experience

Are you fresh out of school, looking for a job, but lacking in experience? You might think this will stop you from landing a decent paying job, but that’s not true. Not every entry-level, “no experience necessary” job is a dead-end.

To help you get started on your job search, check out these 15 suggestions, along with salary estimates and employment requirements.

Best Paid Jobs With No Experience Needed

1. Delivery Driver

Whether national, regional, or local, companies need delivery drivers. As long as you have a clean driver’s license, you are eligible for these jobs. You don’t need any experience for many of these jobs, and they often offer a lot of scheduling flexibility. Starting with a company as a driver can also help you get your foot in the door, with opportunities to work towards a higher-paying position.

Annual Salary Range: $16,918 – $46,324

2. Bill Collector

Experts project the employment rate for bill collectors to grow by approximately 19% in the next 10 years, and most of these positions only require a high school diploma. Job requirements include effectively communicating over the phone and having good customer service skills. Previous bill collection experience is not required.

Annual Salary Range: $21,903 – $47,898

3. Garbage Collector

You will need to wake up before the crack of dawn to start your work day, but you get most holidays off, receive good (often union) benefits, and you get to exercise on the job when you work as a garbage collector. Requirements include being physically fit, capable of lifting heavy items, and the ability to drive a garbage truck. You can begin looking for a job in this field on Waste Management’s career site.

Annual Salary Range: $19,920 – $59,922

4. Security Guard

Working as a security guard can mean a lot more than just patrolling the local mall for unruly teenagers. You might work as a protective sentry for an Embassy, a secure cash transporter for Brinks, or even a member of the Homeland Security team at the airport. A high school diploma is sufficient for most of these jobs, but requirements vary and could include passing a drug test, having a clean criminal record, and perhaps even obtaining a firearms license.

Annual Salary Range: $18,161 – $38,999

5. Bartender

You don’t need a formal education to work as a bartender, but you should go to a bartending school. Working behind a bar can be difficult, as each shift requires dealing with an imbibing public from different walks of life. Some locales have laws in place where a bar or bartender can be held responsible if a patron drinks too much, so there is the added pressure of monitoring how much alcohol your customers consume. The ABC Bartending School lists bartending school locations around the country.

Annual Salary Range: $13,085 – $47,298

6. School Bus Driver

You must have the patience of a saint if you want to drive children to and from school every morning. Additionally, you need clean driving and criminal records. Bus drivers usually work twice a day, in the morning and in the afternoon, and get all the same holidays and days off that students enjoy. No previous experience is required to become a school bus driver, and the job can come with benefits as well as a decent salary.

Annual Salary Range: $16,404 – $39,883

7. Real Estate Broker

The most successful brokers have established a large referral network and have return business. In other words, it takes at least a few years to make big bucks in this field. But the good news is that there is great potential to make money, and you only need an agent license to get your foot in the door at a real estate firm.

To become eligible for a license you must take a 60-hour course. Once employed, an agent can then take another test to become a full-fledged broker.

Annual Salary Range: $30,303 – $227,211

8. Entry Level Oilfield Worker

Careers in the oil industry are readily available, and they have minimal job requirements for entry-level positions. A high school diploma is usually all that is required – no previous experience is necessary, and oil companies provide any training you need on the job. Workers receive the opportunity to travel the world and work outdoors, with decent pay and benefits included.

Annual Salary Range: $19,000 – $45,000

9. Cable TV Installer

Cable TV and Internet installers can make decent salaries. Previous experience is not required for employment, and on-the-job training is provided. A good rapport with the public certainly helps make this job easier. Contact your local cable company regarding open positions.

Annual Salary Range: $21,584 – $51,855

10. 18-Wheel Truck Driver

The majority of your time will be spent away from home, but being a truck driver certainly has its rewards. These jobs offer good pay and benefits, and little or no previous experience is required for employment. You have to be trained and licensed to drive big trucks, but most trucking companies pay for your training and assist you with getting your Commercial Driver’s License.

Medical exams and background checks may also be required, depending on what you might be hauling.

Annual Salary Range: $27,528 – $67,393

11. Human Resources Assistant

These assistants keep track of all information pertaining to a company’s employees, and help the human resources manager in other activities involving company and employee relations. Oftentimes a high school diploma is the only requirement for this position, although customer service experience and secretarial skills bode well for the opportunity to land a job. Opportunities for advancement do arise, and assistants can go on to become managers after gaining some on-the-job experience or additional training and education

Annual Salary Range: $23,602 – $45,591

12. Table Games Dealer

If you want to live in Las Vegas (or anywhere gaming is legal), become a table game dealer. While most casinos require some past experience in dealing cards for table games, some will train you for the job. If no paid training is available, there are casino dealing schools that can help.

Requirements to be a table games dealer include a high school diploma, good customer service skills, solid mathematics abilities, and careful attention to detail. Some jobs do require union membership and dues, but with that requirement often comes better pay and benefits.

Annual Salary Range: $15,000 – $40,000

13. Taxi Driver

Specific licensing requirements for taxi drivers vary from state to state, but include being over 21 years of age, having a clean driving record, several years driving experience, and passing a background check. Generally, taxi drivers pay to lease their cabs from a cab company, keeping all the income they receive from their fares.

Work hours are long and often include nights, weekends, and holidays, and the work can even be dangerous at times. But with no previous cab driving experience needed and the ability to set your own hours, being a taxi driver can make for a comfortable career choice.

Annual Salary Range: $17,110 – $66,662

14. Library Technician

Although the Internet, online bookstores, and e-book readers such as the Amazon Kindle have certainly reduced foot traffic into local libraries, the library as we know it isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. And while becoming a librarian requires years of schooling and certification, obtaining a job as a library technician can often be achieved by someone with just a high school diploma.

Technicians assist librarians in organizing materials, ordering new titles, shelving books, and assisting patrons in researching the catalog. Computer skills are vital to this job, but no previous experience is necessarily expected. Contact your local library for information about career opportunities.

Annual Salary Range: $20,801 – 42,896

15. Police Officer

Careers in policing can be very difficult, yet incredibly rewarding. And while the jobs are not the typical 9 to 5 and can be hard on families and relationships, a high school diploma is the only formal education required to apply. Once you apply and pass a background, drug, and polygraph test, recruits are sent to police academy for training. Job listings for police officers can be found in local papers and on online job boards.

Annual Salary Range: $29,689 – $79,907

Final Word

The job market is tough for everyone right now, and it can be especially frustrating to those without a formal education or without any employment history. But there are many jobs out there that pay well, and companies are just waiting for the right candidates to submit their applications, regardless of past experience. High paying jobs for high school graduates do exist. So what are you waiting for? Your next opportunity may be right around the corner!

What jobs would you suggest for someone with little experience in the workforce?

David Quilty is a freelance writer living outside Santa Fe, NM. After burning out working in the entertainment field in Los Angeles for many years, David decided to strike out on his own and follow his passions for writing, web design, politics, and green living on a dirt road in rural New Mexico.

The content on MoneyCrashers.com is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be construed as professional financial advice. Should you need such advice, consult a licensed financial or tax advisor. References to products, offers, and rates from third party sites often change. While we do our best to keep these updated, numbers stated on this site may differ from actual numbers. We may have financial relationships with some of the companies mentioned on this website. Among other things, we may receive free products, services, and/or monetary compensation in exchange for featured placement of sponsored products or services. We strive to write accurate and genuine reviews and articles, and all views and opinions expressed are solely those of the authors.